Winter's End
by tongonothing
Summary: Saber and Irisviel grow closer during the events of Fate/Zero. Maybe a bit too close...


She was the King of Knights.

She was a married woman.

They both had a mission they would give up their lives for.

So what were they doing here? Indulging each other in such base desires, the sheer proximity leaving them with a single swipe between these pleasures and plummeting off the bridge. They should be fighting. Her hand, clad in black, lazily drew circles on the white witch's back.

Irisviel hummed into Saber's lips. She knew every motion was as foreign as the rest of this new world for her, and loved her tender touches. Breaking apart from her knight, her hand rose up to cup her face, basking in the light lily that had come to paint itself all over.

"...and that is how you properly kiss a woman."

"Eh?"

She couldn't help but giggle at how easily the King of Knights, battle-hardened warrior, was left speechless, with cheeks soon matching the crimson of her Master's eyes. Sitting herself back on the soullessly cold concrete, she pulled her suited Servant into her. With a whisper of surprise, the blonde monarch felt a radiant warmth against her back as she was faced toward the stars.

It sat in stark contrast to the gravely cold tendrils that wrapped themselves around her hands, a reminder of how little there was left in her Irisviel's hourglass. And as she curled her fingers back to match, Saber could only hope to struggle against Death's grip underneath the twinkling sky.

* * *

It started with a fall- a graceful tumble, but the beginning of the end nonetheless.

A routine outing, patrolling for intruders and chatting with the lady she had come to care for, stopped short by sudden weakness in her Master's legs. Stopping short and giving her escort a hasty apology- but with an almost practiced convenience to it, Artoria observed.

"How long are you going to try and keep this up?"

A fatigued gaze met two concerned eyes, intent on maintaining this dream for as long as they possibly could.

"I'll do what needs to be done." The red-eyed homunculus turned her back on her escort, fully ready to accept the consequences of her foolishness.

Stepping forward, she stopped short, her arm tethered to the woman's hand. "Wait."

"I don't want to see you like this."

"We are both tools, Saber. We exist to serve a purpose." Her face remained frozen, brittle and full of cracks. Saber's grip grew fiercer with every tired word. "If we do not do all we can to win this war, what reason do we have to exist?"

Her knuckles shone white. Her lip bled from between her teeth.

"Let this king be selfish for just a moment." She pulled the sword out of the stone, catching it by the back and turning it to face her. "Let us choose our own destiny..."

And she pushed her lips forward.

* * *

"Hello Saber."

"Who? Who's there-" Artoria opened her eyes to see-

Nothing. She raised her arms. Her chest puffed, desperately grasping to regain control of the situation.

No sign of the Grail and its horrific mud that nearly consumed her. As it rose to drown both her and Archer in its crushing miasma, she could only think of one person. The one that, despite not being born with feelings herself, had shown her how to feel, how to _love_. From that first kiss on their patrol to the heart-awakening moments under the Fuyuki bridge…

"Irisviel…"

"Oh? Is that what you seek from the Grail?" It boomed from around her, sounding from the depths of hell. It chilled her with its creeping familiarity.

"The Grail? N-no, I wish for Britain to be-"

Then the void _shifted_. Never had she seen such a bursting sensation of jet crimson and radiant light, bleeding with both regret and desire. Each flash a distant touch, each spurt a dagger to the heart, piercing through the physical to replay every emotion of the past week.

Anger. Betrayal. Shame.

Happiness. Trust. Love.

Each arrow tore at her body and mind, her mouth letting out wordless screams of agony and arms and tendons being torn apart and lungs about to burst and knees going to collapse and _oh God what hell have I fallen into-_

Blurs of snowy pale skin, of pure white soul. An angel in the midst of infernos. The figure grew into focus, and with just one touch-

"Ah!" An airy giggle, one she had heard many times before.

"I-Iri-" Her worries were smothered short in her lost love's arms. She melted into the embrace, cherishing the moment until she opened her wet eyes.

And saw the blood-painted walls of the master bedroom around them. Green irises darted back and forth as two roaming hands cupped her body, caressing her into a state of panic. Her body squirmed under the touch, not quite aware of how little dressed the woman in front of her was.

The moment skin met skin, her soul shuddered at the contact, rejecting the uncanny intrusion. Two arms shot out, shoving the illusion away onto the red-soaked carpet.

Metal greaves rippled through puddles, with barefoot steps not far behind.

"Sa-ber∼ Wherever are you going my love?"

An armored knight burst through a set of doors, only to find a pristine dining room. Plates were set up at both ends, with limbs arranged in tasteful fashion. She had gone to great lengths to make sure all the blood was distilled in the wine, too. If Saber couldn't understand that, then she would certainly be amazed by the main course.

"What have you done to them?!"

"I only did what you wished for, dear∼ They had it coming to them anyway∼"

"I-I would never wish for such bloodshed! Much less Kiritsugu's head on a silver platter!"

Strutting up to the King of Knights, she put her hand on her love's. "You wanted us to be able to live together," Iri gestured towards the table, "and the Grail has made it true."

All she wanted was for Saber's wish to come true, to show Saber her devotion. And she did! With the power of the Grail she could create a reality where both their dreams could come true. She could only hope now that Saber could see it for what it really was. Sure, she had to kill some people, but Kiritsugu of all people would understand.

Now she was here with Saber, if only _if only_ she would let her love free, if she would let her take the final step, _if she would let her touc-_

Artoria pulled the blade out of the woman with the sultry and murderous eyes, swearing never to love again.


End file.
